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The IC Title has traditionally been used as a stepping stone for wrestlers as they advance in their careers. Chris Jericho, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and Randy Orton have all held the IC Title before becoming World Champions.
During the Invasion storyline in 2001, the United States ChampionWWE United States Championship is formally the WCW United States Championship but is now a WWE title exclusive to the SmackDown! brand. History The title was a WCW championship, respectively, until; during the Invasion storyline in 2001, the United States, EdgeAdam Copeland is a Canadian professional wrestler better known as Edge (born October 30, 1973 in Orangeville, Ontario) who performs for World Wrestling Entertainment on the RAW brand. Throughout the 1990s he wrestled for many independent promotions in Ont, defeated the Intercontinental Champion, TestAndrew Martin (born March 17 1975 in Whitby, Ontario, Canada) better known as Test is a professional wrestler, who was performing with World Wrestling Entertainment's RAW brand. He is currently injured and set to go cervical fusion surgery. He has previou, to merge both titles. Edge then held the Intercontinental Championship, and the United States Title became inactive.
Rob Van DamRob Van Dam (born Robert Szatkowski on December 18, 1970 in Battle Creek, Michigan) is a professional wrestler performing for World Wrestling Entertainment on the Smackdown! brand. He debuted in 1990 after being trained by the Original Sheik (Ed Farhat) a put his Intercontinental Championship on the line, along with Jeff HardyJeffery Nero Hardy (born August 31, 1977 in Cameron, North Carolina) is a professional wrestler and musician. He and his older brother Matt Hardy made up one of the most popular tag teams in World Wrestling Entertainment at the turn of the 21st century, a's European ChampionshipWWE European Championship is a former championship competed for in the WWE. History The European Championship was deactivated in a ladder match on June 22, 2002 when Rob Van Dam put his WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line, along with Jeff Hardy', in a ladder match on June 22June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. Events 168 BC Battle of Pydna: Romans under Lucius Aemilius Paullus defeat and capture Macedonian King Perseus, ending the Third Macedonian War, 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom. By winning that match, Rob Van Dam merged the two titles, and continued to hold the IC Title, while the European Championship was deactivated. The same would occur on August 26, 2002, when Van Dam defeated the Hardcore Champion, Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer's Hardcore Title was merged with the IC Championship and was then deactivated.The Intercontinental Championship was unified with the World Heavyweight Championship on October 20, 2002, when the World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H, defeated the Intercontinental Champion, Kane. This time, the Intercontinental Title became inactive. RAW General Manager Steve Austin reinstated the IC Title the following year, and Christian won the belt on May 18, 2003. The Intercontinental Title has remained active ever since.
Also, the United States Championship was restored as the SmackDown equivalent of the title in 2003, much like it was WCW's equivalent of the title in its competition with the then WWF.